Oxygen bleaching agents, for example hydrogen peroxide, are typically used to facilitate the removal of stains and soils from clothing and various surfaces. Unfortunately such agents are extremely temperature rate dependent. As a result, when such agents are employed in colder solutions, the bleaching action of such solutions is markedly decreased.
In an effort to resolve the aforementioned performance problem, the industry developed a class of materials known as “bleach activators”. However, as such materials rapidly lose their effectiveness at solution temperatures of less than 40° C., new organic catalysts such as 3,4-dihydro-2-[2-(sulfooxy)decyl]isoquinolimium, inner salt were developed. In general, while such current art catalysts are effective in lower temperature water conditions, they can inactivate certain enzymes and the more effective catalysts tend to be hydrophobic—thus their aqueous solubility is limited. As most laundry and cleaning compositions are formulated in, or intended to be used with water, formulating cleaning products with such catalysts can be problematic.
Accordingly, there is a need for an inexpensive organic catalyst that can provide the combined benefits of formulation flexibility, and low water temperature bleaching performance.